Unit 011 Unit 011
Remote high-desert pronghorn country in the far northwest corner
Northwestern Nevada — Washoe County · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
666
sq mi
Public land
83%
approx.
Elevation
4,800–7,900
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 011 sits in the far northwest corner of Nevada in Washoe County, wrapping the north end of the Hays Canyon Range and the Vya Rim up to the Oregon line, west of the Sheldon country and east of California's Surprise Valley. It is one of the state's better draw-tag pronghorn units — antelope are the headline here, with roughly seven of ten permit holders filling recent tags — while mule deer are present but thinly spread across the mahogany benches and rims. Expect a genuinely remote, self-sufficient hunt: no towns, no cell service, and no developed facilities inside the unit.
Terrain
Sagebrush basins and long rimrock tables rising to isolated peaks and canyon country along the Vya Rim and the north Hays Canyon Range. Antelope hold on the open flats and low tables; deer tuck into the upper mahogany stands, bitterbrush benches, and canyon heads.
Cover: Wyoming big sagebrush and low sage steppe with bitterbrush benches, scattered western juniper and pinyon on the rims, mountain mahogany stands on the higher slopes, and aspen and meadow pockets around springs.
Landmarks: Hays Canyon Range (north end) · Vya Rim · Forty-Nine Mountain · Coleman Canyon · Crooks Lake · Holy Lake · Gravelly Spring · Long Valley · Highway 8A · Vya junction
Access
Overwhelmingly public BLM land (Winnemucca District) with scattered private ranch inholdings in the valley floors and around water. Reach the unit east on Highway 299 from Alturas and Cedarville, California, or from the south out of Reno/Gerlach on Highway 447; SR 140 skirts the north end near the Oregon border. Forty-Nine Mountain and the Coleman Canyon area on the northeast end of the Vya Rim are the main spots with access friction — overall public access is good. Roads range from high-standard dirt to jeep trails; many hunt areas need four-wheel drive or ATV.
Managers: BLM
Access points: Highway 299 (Cedarville, CA) · Highway 447 (from Gerlach/Reno) · SR 140 · Highway 8A · Vya Rim roads
Species notes
Pronghorn
abundant qualityThe marquee species here and one of the stronger northwest Nevada antelope units — recent draw hunters have posted success around 70%. Bucks are widely distributed across the open sage flats and low tables.
- →Glass the big open sagebrush flats and table tops at first and last light, then use terrain — draws, rims, low swales — to close the distance on a bedded buck.
- →In dry early seasons key on the limited water sources; antelope patterns tighten around springs and stock tanks.
- →Judge from long range with quality optics and a tripod before committing to a stalk — mass, prong length, and horn height matter more than height alone.
- →A decoy during the rut can pull curious bucks in the open country.
Mule Deer
common opportunityDeer are widely distributed but occur at lower densities than the bigger Hays Canyon core to the south. Success is driven by time spent glassing rather than deer numbers; the herd took hard hits in the severe 2022 winter.
- →Grind glass over the mahogany stands and bitterbrush benches on the upper elevations — that is where the bucks live.
- →Early in the season hunt close to the scarce water; deer spread out onto the rims and tables as the weather cools.
- →Work the Vya Rim north of Highway 8A up toward the Oregon border, including the Crooks Lake and Holy Lake country and the ground north of Gravelly Spring.
Pro tips
- →This is a pronghorn-first unit — if you draw the antelope tag, treat deer as a bonus, not the plan.
- →Scout water sources ahead of an early hunt; both species concentrate near the few reliable springs and tanks.
- →Set up long-range glassing on the rims and tables at dawn and cover ground with optics before ever moving.
- →Come with 4WD and recovery gear — many productive areas are jeep-trail-only and mud strands rigs after storms.
- →Stage services in Cedarville or Gerlach; there is no fuel or water once you leave pavement.
Watch out for
- !No cell service and no facilities inside the unit — a mechanical or medical problem is a serious situation without a satellite communicator.
- !Scattered private ranch inholdings sit in the valley floors and around water; verify boundaries before crossing.
- !Forty-Nine Mountain and Coleman Canyon on the northeast end of the Vya Rim have the unit's main access limitations.
- !Storms turn dirt and playa roads to gumbo and can drop early snow on the higher country.
- !Frequent seasonal fire restrictions — confirm campfire rules with the BLM before you go.
Logistics
Genuinely remote — plan to be fully self-contained. Fuel, food, vehicle repair, and motels are only in Cedarville and Gerlach; there are no developed campgrounds inside the unit. Hunters camp tent-style near tree cover or perennial water; RV and trailer rigs are confined to valley-floor roads and must drive farther each day to reach hunt areas. Haul drinking water from home or town. Carry tire chains, extra fuel, extra water, and spare tires. There is essentially no cell service — bring a satellite messenger and leave an itinerary. Contact the local BLM office before your hunt; fire and campfire restrictions are common.
Nearest towns: Cedarville, CA, Gerlach, NV, Vya, NV, Denio, NV
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Nevada sources:
Research sources: NDOW Mule Deer Hunt Info Sheet — Units 011, 012, 013 · NDOW Hunt Information Sheets · GoHunt Nevada Unit 011 Profile (secondary cross-check)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 011 in Nevada?
- Unit 011 (Unit 011) covers about 666 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,800 to 7,900 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 011?
- Approximately 83% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 011?
- Pronghorn, Mule Deer. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Nevada agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 011 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.